The US FAA is proposing $359,000 in fines against Utah-based SkyWest Airlines for three separate violations the agency says took place between July 2009 and July 2010.
Separate from the FAA fines, SkyWest is the focus of six ongoing National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations that involve cabin door maintenance deferral procedures, ramp incidents and landing gear problems. Flightglobal's ACAS database shows that SkyWest operates 297 aircraft.
The largest of the three fines, $220,000, is linked to five flights between April and May, 2010. FAA states SkyWest failed to "document heavy checked bags, motorized mobility aids and a heavy shipment" carried in cargo.
"As a result, the company operated the aircraftwith incorrect weight and balance data," says the FAA, adding that the violations allegedly occurred "because the carrier's employees failed to follow required procedures for documenting cargo carried on revenue passenger flights."
A proposed civil penalty of $70,500 is linked to allegations that SkyWest employees failed to follow the company's continuous airworthiness maintenance program (CAMP) and the Bombardier maintenance and inspection manual for its regional jets "during five attempts by mechanics to correct an avionics system cooling problem on one aircraft." The FAA says SkyWest operated the aircraft on "at least five" revenue passenger flights from 15-21 July 2009.
The FAA is proposing a $68,500 fine in response to allegations that SkyWest operated another non-complying Bombardier jet on eight revenue passenger flights between 30 May and 1 June 2010.
The agency says mechanics in that case failed to follow the carrier's CAMP when replacing the right air conditioning pack's pressure-regulating and shutoff valve.
SkyWest, which has 30 days to respond to the proposed fines, says it is "disappointed with the FAA's assessment" and looks forward to meeting with the agency's representatives "to review the findings" in detail.
"Safety of flight was not compromised and we are disappointed with the FAA's decision to issue a notice of proposed civil penalty," says the carrier.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
